not imagine that it was possible they would not kill me, and that I should have the merit of martyrdom without suffering it. Indeed it appeared there was something of this nature in it; for being placed kneeling on a cloth spread for the purpose, and seeing behind me a large sword lifted up, which they had prepared to try how far my ardour would carry me. I cried, hold! it is not right I should die without first obtaining my father's permission. I was quickly upbraided with having said this that I might escape, and that I was no longer a martyr. I continued long disconsolate, and would receive no comfort; something inwardly reproved me, for not having embraced that opportunity of going to heaven, when it rested altogether on my own choice.

Ar my own solicitation, and on account of my falling so frequently sick, I was at length taken home; but not without having met a variety of little crosses, proportioned to my age. On my return, my mother having a maid in whom she placed a confidence, left me again to the care of servants. I must here mention a great fault, of which mothers are guilty, when under pretext of external devotions or other engagements, they suffer their daughters to be absent from them: nor can I forbear condemning that unjust partiality with which parents treat some of their children; it is frequently productive of divisions in families, and even the ruin of some; whereas impartiality, by uniting children's hearts together, lays the foundation of lasting harmony and unanimity.

I WOULD I were able to convince parents, and all who have the care of youth, of the great

attention

attention they require, and how dangerous it is to let them be for any length of time from under their own eye, or to suffer them to be without some kind of employment. This negligence is the ruin of almost all females.-How many little Angels would we see, did not idleness and want of due restraint destroy every seed of virtue ?

How greatly it is to be lamented, that mothers who are inclined to piety, should pervert the means of salvation into their destruction, and commit the greatest irregularities in pursuing that which should produce the most regular and circumspect conduct.

THUS because they experience certain sweetnesses in prayer, they would be all day long at church; meanwhile their children are running to destruction at home: the means to glorify God most is to prevent what may offend him. What must be the nature of that sacrifice which is the occasion of sin.-God should be served in his own way, not in ours. Let the devotion of mothers be so regulated as to prevent their daughters from straying: they should treat them as sisters, not as slaves, and appear pleased with their little amusements;-thus the children will delight in the presence of their mothers instead of avoiding it; for if they find so much happiness with them, they will not dream of seeking any elsewhere. But mothers frequently deny their children any liberties; therefore like birds constantly confined to a cage, they no sooner find means to escape than off they go, and never more return; whereas in order to render them tame and docile when young, they should be permitted sometimes to take wing; but as their

flight

flight is weak, and closely watched, it is easy to retake them when they escape; and this little flight gives them the habit of naturally returning to their cage, which becomes an agreeable confinement. I believe young girls should be treated in a manner something similar to this; mothers should indulge them in an innocent liberty, but never lose sight of them.

To guard the tender minds of children from what is wrong, much care should be taken to employ them in agreeable and useful matters; they should not be loaded with food they cannot relish; milk suited to babes should be administered to them, and not strong meat, which may so disgust them, that when they arrive at an age wherein it would be proper nourishment, they will not so much as taste it. Every day they should be obliged to read a little in some good book, and spend some time in prayer, which must be suited rather to stir the affections than for meditation. Oh were this method of education pursued, how speedily would all disorder cease! these daughters becoming mothers, would educate their children as they themselves had been educated.

PARENTS should also avoid shewing the smallest partiality in the treatment of their children; it begets a secret jealousy and hatred amongst them, which frequently augments with time, and even continues until death. How often do we see some children the idols of the house, behaving like absolute tyrants, and treating their brothers and sisters as so many slaves, according to the examples of father and mother; and it happens many times, that the favourite proves a scourge to the parents, and

the

the poor despised and hated one, becomes at length their whole consolation and support.

My mother was very defective in the education of her children: She suffered me whole days from her presence, in company with the servants, whose conversation and example were particularly hurtful to one of my docile disposition. My mother's heart seemed wholly centered in my brother; so that I was scarcely ever favoured with the smallest instance of her tenderness or affection. I therefore voluntarily absented myself from her: it is true, my brother was more amiable than I, but the excess of her fondness for him, made her blind even to my outward good qualities, and served only to discover my faults, which would have been but trifling had proper care been taken of me.

MY

CHAP. III.

Y Father who loved me tenderly, seeing how little my education was attended to, sent me to a convent of the Ursulines. I was then near seven years old; in this house were two half sisters of mine, the one by my father, the other by my mother. My father placed me under his daughter's care, whom I may affirm to be a person of the greatest capacity, and most exalted piety, and excellently qualified

for

for the instruction of youth. This was a singular dispensation, Oh iny Lord! of thy providence and love towards me, and proved the first means of my salvation. She loved me tenderly, and her affection made her discover in me many amiable qualities, which thou of thy great goodnesss hadst implanted in me: She endeavoured to improve these good qualities, and I believe that had I continued in such careful hands, I should have acquired as many virtuous habits, as I had afterwards contracted evil

ones.

THIS good sister employed her time in instructing me in piety, and in such branches of learning as were suitable to my age and capacity. She had good talents, and improved them well, was frequently in prayer, and her faith as great and as pure as most. She denied herself every other satisfaction, to be with me, and to instruct me: Nay such was her affection for me, that it made her find, as she told me, more pleasure with me than any where else.

IF I made her agreeable answers, more from chance than judgement, she thought herself well paid for all her labour. In short, under her care I soon became mistress of most things suitable for me, insomuch that many grown persons, of rank and figure, could not have answered to the things which I did.

As my father often sent for me home to see me, one time I found the Queen of England there. I was then near eight years of age. My father told the Queen's confessor, that if he wanted a little amusement, he might entertain himself with me, and propound some questions

to